Parking your carriage on Olcott Square in Bernardsville, NJ, around 1908 was apparently no problem.  These two are shown in front of the Westlecraft Block, named for local builder Charles Westlecraft.  The site  is occupied today by The Coffee Shop, Buona Pizza, and other businesses.

The Westlecraft Block was built around 1904 and contained businesses on the first floor, residential apartments on the second.  The grocery store in the center may be William C. Ludlow’s. The harness shop behind the white horse may be Allsheskey’s.  By 1918, the first A&P in Bernardsville, managed by William Acken from Liberty Corner, was perhaps to the left of the doorway.

1925 Fire

The entire block burned on August 23, 1925, destroying 11 stores and displacing five families with 17 children.  Police officer Richard Severine discovered the fire in the adjoining two-story building to the north, which was the harness and saddlery shop of John C.  Barnard.  Severine raised the alarm and fire companies responded from Bernardsville, Peapack, Far Hills, Basking Ridge, and Morristown. 

The families safely evacuated were Mr. and Mrs. DeBellonia with three children; James and Christine Barclay with two children, Clementine and James; Mr. and Mrs. William Devaney with three children; Leonard P. Scott with five kids; and Mr. and Mrs. Swatschka with four children.  The Swatschkas’ had recently bought the French bakery on the first floor.  Mr. and Mrs. William H. Brown were not home at the time—their apartment was over their jewelry store.  Among the other businesses lost were William C. Ludlow’s,  W. F. Allseskey Co. hardware, the A&P, Elmi shoe repair, John Apollo’s radio shop, and Nathan Stern’s dry goods.

In 1925, Louis Fried of 800 Broad St., Newark, owned the building.  Many of the businesses were partially insured, but many of the families were not.

The block was rebuilt, but burned down again in 1944, after which the current stores were built.